We heard back in September that some big changes could be coming to the Japanese player posting system. Some details on those changes are beginning to emerge.

While early word indicated that the player would get more control in the process, potentially deciding among the top three bids, that apparently won’t be the case here. In fact, the changes are rather small.

To clarify on Japanese posting, the top bidding team wins exclusive negotiating rights, but has to pay only the average of the top 2 bids.

I’m not so sure things will work out that way. If anything, teams may be more inclined to bid higher than they usually would if they believe that they’ll only have to pay an average of the top two bids. Nothing is official yet, so we’ll have to wait on an announcement from MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball.

We should see the new posting system in action soon with the much-hyped Masahiro Tanaka expected to be made available. Bidding figures to top the $51.7 million figure the Rangers paid for exclusive negotiating rights with Yu Darvish two offseasons ago while the Yankees, Dodgers, and Cubs are among the teams expected to be in the mix.

UPDATE: It looks like other changes are coming. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Timescites reports in Japan that teams that win the bidding on a player and fail to sign him will be fined.

Blash, 28, was acquired by the Yankees from the Padres back in December in the Chase Headley trade. In trading Blash to the Angels, the Yankees were able to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Brandon Drury, the infielder they acquired as part of a three-team trade with the Diamondbacks and Rays on Tuesday.

Over parts of two seasons in the majors, Blash has hit an underwhelming .200/.323/.336 in 279 plate appearances. He will try to play his way into a bench role for the Angels this spring.